CONFIDENTIAL
HKD
026/12
83
040411 MDHIAN 0247
CONFIDENTIAL
FM WASHINGTON
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2162
OF 27234OZ AUGUST 91
RECEIV
DES
TOP COPY
- 55LF 991 Q DIST ?
COLES
PA
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, ACTOR
HONG KONG TELNO 2667: VISIT TO HONG KONG BY NANCY PELOSI AND BEN
JONES: 31 AUGUST 2 SEPTEMBER
-
SUMMARY
1. NO-ONE ON THE WATCH LIST HAS APPLIED FOR A VISA. ALL CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE PELOSI PARTY ARE AMERICANS, BUT THERE IS SOME SUSPICION THAT SOMEONE ON THE WATCH LIST MAY JOIN THEM. COULD HONG KONG SHOW FLEXIBILITY.
DETAIL
IF SO,
2.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE HONG KONG TRADE OFFICE HAS BEEN IN
DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ABOUT THIS FOR SOME TIME. ON PRESENT PLANS THE PELOSI PARTY WILL COMPRISE: MR AND MRS PELOSI, BEN JONES, CONGRESSMAN JOHN MILLER (R-WASHINGTON), CRAIG MIDDLETON (PELOSI'S PRESS SECRETARY) AND FOUR MEMBERS OF THE
BOSTON-BASED DEMOCRACY FOR CHINA FUND WHICH IS ORGANISING THE TRIP.
3.
PELOSI'S OFFICE HAVE BEEN SOMEWHAT EVASIVE ABOUT THEIR PLANS.
BUT THE FUND HAS TOLD HKETO THAT THEY ARE HOPING THAT THE GROUP
WILL BE JOINED BY SHEN TONG (PHON) WHO APPEARS ON THE WATCH LIST AND WHO IS (WE THINK) CURRENTLY IN BOSTON. WE HAVE ALSO HEARD THAT
PELOSI PLANS TO GIVE A PRESS CONFERENCE OUTSIDE THE AIRPORT ON
ARRIVAL.
4.
IF SHEN TONG IS PLANNING TO ACCOMPANY PELOSI HE IS LEAVING HIS VISA APPLICATION PRETTY LATE. THERE MUST BE A CHANCE THAT HE WILL NOT BE TRAVELLING. BUT, IF HE (OR SOME OTHER DISSIDENT) DOES, THERE MUST BE A STRONG CASE FOR ADMITTING THEM, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE EXCLUDED AT THE TIME OF THE CHINESE STUDENT FEDERATION CONFERENCE. THE CIRCUMSTANCES NOW ARE DIFFERENT: SHEN TONG COR WHOEVER ACCOMPANIES THE GROUP) WILL BE PART OF AN AMERICAN CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, RATHER THAN ATTENDING A CONFERENCE ON DEMOCRACY IN CHINA. THEY WILL NOT, THEREFORE, HAVE SUCH AN OBVIOUS PLATFORM FOR THEIR VIEWS.
1
PAGE CONFIDENTIAL